This invention relates to a system for managing a logistics chain particularly supply chains involving transitions between multiple transport providers.
Supply and demand chains are a critical part in the manufacture and delivery of goods. Where the number of possible participants in a logistics chain are large, the management and timely co-ordination of services can be complex. One approach has been to reduce the number of participants and implement legally binding contracts to ensure that goods can be made and delivered in a short time frame with the minimum amount of handling and inventory storage. Another approach is to use a computer based decision support system of the kind described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,946,662 or 5,953,707. These are primarly concerned with linking component manufacturers.
Some products such as fresh food, wine, pharmaceuticals need to be transported under specified conditions particularly temperature controlled conditions as well as avoidance of unnecessary delay. Often for longer distance transport these products are transferred from land to air and or sea transport and again to land transport before they reach their destination. Storage is often required during transition from one transport provider to another. Often transport providers such as airlines cannot guarantee that goods will depart on particular scheduled flights. For security reasons the airlines do not identify the flight onto which goods will be loaded. If goods are delayed they may need special storage such as refrigerated storage.
If the goods arrive in unsatisfactory condition it is very difficult to identify where in the chain of transport and storage the goods were delayed or inappropriately handled. Because of this insurance of goods across such a chain is expensive or difficult to obtain.
Data logging of containers to record temperature or other environmental conditions during transportation has been proposed but these have proved expensive and return of the data loggers with integrity intact is difficult to achieve.
It is an object of this invention to provide greater certainty in the management of transport logistics chains.
To this end the present invention provides a logistics management system for use by members who include goods suppliers, transport providers, storage providers, and customers wherein the members agree to comply with predetermined transport and storage conditions for the goods which includes
a) a communication network accessible by members
b) data storage means accessible over the network for storing details of a consignment of goods
c) means in said communication network for notifying appropriate members of the entry of a consignment
d) means for members to communicate with each other over the network
e) means to collect data corresponding to the predetermined condition of the goods during transportation and storage
f) means to record and track data pertaining to consignments of goods as the consignment moves along the supply chain to its eventual destination including the current location of the goods and compliance with the predetermined conditions
g) means to generate reports from the data collected.
The term logistics includes movement of goods and information in both directions that is in a supply chain or in a demand chain.
By making the information about a consignment available over an accessible network and collecting data about the consignment, supplier and designated transport and storage providers an easily accessible record of the consignment can be displayed and printed as required. This does away with the need for multiple copies of the forms required for each of the service providers in the chain and by providing access to relevant government systems such as customs, and quarantine regulatory requirements can be satisfied. This represents a cost saving for all participants in the logistics chain. The information can be made available automatically by notifying members of the existence of a consignment eg: by email or allowing members to regularly interrogate the database for consignments of interest.
The collection of data on the condition of goods during transit makes it is possible to check whether reported damage to delivered goods could have occurred during transit and identify the likely time and location as well as the provider responsible for the goods at the time. This is essential to quality assurance for the logistics chain. The condition monitored may be any condition relevant to the quality and value of the goods including ambient conditions such as temperature, humidity, pressure, package atmosphere, package integrity, impact and vibration during transport and handling.
The most common requirement for transport of perishable products is maintenance of temperature of the consignment within a specified range. A data logger incorporating a temperature sensor will measure the temperature at predetermined intervals so that the temperature of the goods at any location during the transport of the goods can be determined. Another condition is avoidance of shock. This is important for fragile products or for live produce such as crabs where shock can cause damage that affects the price that the goods can command. An impact sensor on a data logger can record the day and time that an impact above a predetermined threshold occurred.
The data logger may be active or passive. An active data logger senses a predetermined condition records the information and transmits the data to a central data base at predetermined intervals. A passive data logger senses and records the condition but has to be read by a an appropriate reader at various times along the logistics chain. The presence of a data logger and the need for the central data base to be advised of the receipt and dispatch of the consignment along the chain means that at any time the system can track and identify the location of the consignment.
Preferably a logistics chain manager is appointed to ensure that all the appropriate data is collected and that all suppliers and transport and storage providers in the supply chain have agreed to comply with the standards and quality assurance criteria.
A benefit in having such a manager is that suppliers, providers and buyers can have access to the collected data to resolve disputes. The provision of the data makes it more likely that insurance recovery can be obtained for the consignment during transit. The costs of the system may be recouped by the manager collecting membership fees, messaging fees, monitoring fees.
The functions needed for the total system include:
a documentation system including waybills, consignment notes, health certificates, shippers letter of instruction, dangerous goods declaration, etc
transaction system including payment for goods, transport and handling services etc
monitoring system including location of consignment and environment conditions etc
data collection and management including data from documents, transactions, monitoring and transport schedules etc
performance reporting including benchmarking against standards set in the agreements made by all participants.
The data storage requirements to support the documentation and data collection and transaction systems may be in one central location but may also be distributed and be in a variety of physical locations that are all accessible over the same network.
In another aspect, the invention provides a system that is open to any party who bids to provide one of the services in the chain. To that end there is provided a transport chain management system for use by goods suppliers, transport providers and/or storage providers comprising
a) a communication network
b) data storage means accessible over the network for storing details of available suppliers and providers
c) a bulletin board system associated with said data storage for listing transport requirements for consignments of goods
d) means in said communication network for registering interest in providing transport or storage service for a listed consignment
e) optionally a matching means for matching registered interests with appropriate consignments and notifying these to the goods supplier
f) means for the goods supplier to communicate with interested providers over the network
g) means to collect data corresponding to the condition of the goods during transportation and storage
h) means to record and track data pertaining to consignments of goods as the consignment moves along the supply chain to its eventual destination
i) means to generate reports from the data collected
j) wherein the providers and suppliers agree to comply with predetermined transport conditions for the goods.